President Mahama Demands End to Gaza Crisis: “The Crimes in Gaza Must Stop”
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama delivered an uncompromising condemnation of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, declaring that “The crimes in Gaza must stop.”
In a forceful address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama criticized the international community’s reluctance to address the Gaza situation with clear language and decisive action.
“For nearly two years and for the fear of reprisals, we here in this General Assembly, have been playing hide and seek with language to find the right words to help us avoid or excuse what we all know is taking place in Gaza,” Mahama stated, challenging world leaders to confront the reality of the situation.
The President employed a memorable metaphor to drive home his point: “But here is the thing. It doesn’t matter what you call it, if it looks like a duck, it swims like a duck and quacks like a duck. Well, then it must be a duck.”
Mahama reminded the assembly of Ghana’s longstanding position on the Palestinian issue, stating: “Ghana recognized the state of Palestine in 1988 and supported a two state solution to the conflict since then.”
He emphasized that a two-state solution would serve humanitarian rather than political purposes: “And I say, contrary to the claims of some, a two state solution would not be a reward for Hamas. It would rather be a retrieve for the hundreds of thousands of innocent women and children and people who are facing collective punishment and forced starvation for no reason other than the fact that they are Palestinian.”
The Gaza statement was part of President Mahama’s broader critique of international systems and his call for global reform. He also drew attention to other humanitarian crises, particularly in Sudan, which he described as “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis” with “12 million people who have had to flee their homes.”
President Mahama’s address comes as Ghana continues its diplomatic efforts to promote peace and human rights on the international stage, building on the legacy of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whom Mahama referenced as a distinguished Ghanaian who “brought great distinction to the countries that they decided to call home.”
The President’s direct approach and unequivocal language mark a significant diplomatic statement from Ghana, calling for immediate international intervention to address what he characterized as an urgent humanitarian crisis requiring global accountability and action.
